Buying a New Sports Car ? Twelve Tips To Avoid Financial Sticker Shock
Nothing (well, almost nothing) can compare to the thrill of driving a road-hugging high performance sports car. Instant steering response. Power at the exact nanosecond you ask for it. Then, if you have one of the sexier models, you'll attract attention on the road, filling up, and in the shopping mall parking lot. Yes, you can pretend you're driving the Autobahn with the wind blowing your hair.
But beware of state troopers just waiting for an "arrest me red" entry on their ticket issuing track record. Before You Fall In Love . . . Before you step into that showroom and fall in love, consider the following practicalities: 1) How much do you want to spend? $20,000? $30,000? Or more? 2) What's the tradeoff between performance (power) and gas mileage? Higher performance usually equals less gas mileage.
Does the vehicle use premium gas? Right now, the difference between premium and regular is 20 cents per gallon. At 20 miles per gallon and 15,000 miles per year, the cost differential is $150. 3) What about reliability? Some upscale models cost considerably more to maintain and have a higher incidence of repair costs. Would you appreciate paying $125 just to diagnose the problem when the check engine light comes on? Or paying $70 for an oil change? 4) In a climate where snow and ice are winter realities, do you want to drive it year round? Or store it over the winter? A rear wheel drive sports car is impractical for winter driving. A front, all-wheel, or 4-wheel drive sport car can be driven in snow and ice, if you use all-season tires.
If the little devil comes with performance tires, you will want to buy all-season tires (and possibly rims) for winter driving. Add another $1500 to the price of the car for the right tires and rims. Do Your Homework . . .
5) Once you've decided price, performance, gas mileage, reliability, and practicality for all-season driving, get on the Internet. Here you can compare models and pricing and read reviews. Google "buying a new car" or "new car prices" and several sites will pop up. Another source is Consumer Report (the new car issue) where your criteria will be easy to find. Red dots are good.
Black dots are not. Most American car dealers consider this issue of Consumer Report a nightmare because it favors foreign car models, especially Asian cars. However, as explained in the newest version of this report, American car manufacturers are catching up. 6) Find out what you should pay before stepping into a showroom. Dealers will offer below invoice prices even on some sports cars because of rebates, dealer incentives, and dealer returns when they make a sale.
7) Remember the incidentals. Yes, you have to pay to transport the vehicle from the manufacturer. Yes, you have to pay for options. And remember the sales (and sometimes luxury) tax. The Driving Experience .
. . 8) Unless you have driven the exact model and year you want to purchase, step into the showroom and test drive the car. Driving the previous year's model is unacceptable. If the dealer lures you into his web and asks you to test drive an earlier model, RUN out of the show room.
You're wasting your time. 9) Pick at least 2 different road types for test driving. The winding, hilly road is one road type. Road hugging capabilities are tested here. If the car is standard, smooth-shifting is another test.
A car that cuts back after you release the clutch is NOT smooth shifting. The highway is another road type. Make sure power is sufficient to handle entrance ramps and merging with traffic. If you get an instant response at highway speeds, the car is a possible winner. Closing the Deal .
. . 10) If you like the car, get the dealer's best quote. Then, find at least one other dealer to give you another quote ON THE SAME CAR. If you don't like the car in the test drive, you probably won't like the car ? ever.
Move on to the next model. 11) When you decide on a car, call your insurance company and find out what the vehicle will cost per year. And don't choke on your coffee when you hear the amount ? you can shop around. 12) Estimate how much the real estate taxes will be on the car, especially if it's a high-priced model. This could be another financial shocker! As you can see, sports car buying is a process.
Do you need to do all this stuff? Nope, you don't. But consider the financial sticker shock when you're paying an extraordinary amount for maintenance, repairs, gas, insurance, and taxes! Just for that Autobahnesque experience!.
Valerie Mills, a copywriter/designer specializing in direct mail and web advertising, has written sales letters, web sites, and brochures for the finance, self-help, and technology areas. Refer to web sites http://v.mills.home.att.net and http://teachyourkidsaboutmoney.comOffroad Tires - Getting Dirty With Style
What to do with the inherent urge you feel every time you quick spot an opening in the brush, in a trail that may or may not lead to an off road utopia?
What do you think you should do, you Nancy, slam the brakes, twist the wheel, apologize to whomever is sitting next to you for the fact that they will not be making it to their intended, particular destination at that moment and tear off road and into the liberation of street sign-free good times.
Well, wait, hold on for a moment.
While it's true that I do think that, for the most part you should do that, there may be a thing or two slightly over-impulsive to that off roading call to arms.
First off, really you should drop your passenger off and let them walk to their destination (we are members of decent society after all).
But, more importantly, consider if you truck is ready for the offroad.
One of the biggest considerations here will be what your tires are...
Toyo tires > Offroad Tires - Getting Dirty With Style
Winter Car Care
As the weather turns colder, it is time to think about your car for a second. A little preparation can go a long way to making your winter travels a lot safer. Here is a checklist to get you started. 1. Check the antifreeze. The freezing point can be checked with a simple tool available at any auto parts store.
Make sure you check the antifreeze when it's cool. Opening a hot radiator can be a dangerous thing. 2. Check the air pressure in your tires. As the air gets cooler pressure drops in your tires. Maintaining your tire pressures will reward you with higher gas mileage and longer tire life.
3. Make sure you have the following items in your car.
- Ice Scraper
- Salt or sand for traction
- Blanket in case you are stranded and need to keep warm
- Good first aid kit (not just for winter)
- Road flares
Toyo tires > Winter Car Care
J & W™ TireTrax™ Launches New Tire and Mobile Service Website
Calgary, AB (ContentDesk) February 15, 2006 -- J & W" TireTrax" Inc, a leading distributor of tires and mobile tire services, has launched a new website today.
The website design reinforces J & W" TireTrax"'s commitment to its customers by providing a fast, reliable and easy-to-use online solution for all their tire and mobile tire services.J & W" TireTrax" Inc. prides itself on maintaining a quality user experience. The website was designed to further enhance the customer experience, by providing expanded product lines, additional product information, along with highlighted
promotional opportunities and improved search tools.
The latest design not only gives a more contemporary look, but
ensures that consumers find the website efficient and easy to use.J & W" TireTrax" Inc.'s new website was undertaken after numerous consultations with...
Toyo tires > J & W™ TireTrax™ Launches New Tire and Mobile Service Website
Cheap ATV Tires - Adventures For Slashed Prices
I'd like to talk about my friends for a minute.
While I'm doing so, you should think about yours.
And if, as I suspect and for your sake hope, yours are different than mine, well then tonight, before you go to sleep you really have something to be thankful for.
But, if by some cruel cosmic joke that is aimed directly at you, your friends have even an inkling of resemblance to mine, well then I must offer my sympathies.
Let me speak bluntly.
My friends are cheap; because I am an idiot.
My friends wear on me quickly; they have very little value; at times can even put my safety in peril, due to their cheap nature (this of course depends on the sense of humor of the patrons and staff of the venue we choose to unleash their cheapness).
But, what can I do?
I have them for better or worse, but probably for a lifetime.
This same logic, however, simply must not translate into my perspective...
Toyo tires > Cheap ATV Tires - Adventures For Slashed Prices
Jones Motorsports Rallies For 3rd Place Finish at BITD Parker 425
Litchfield, AR (ContentDesk) Feburary 7,2006 -- Litchfield Park, Arizona:
Challenged by some of the most grueling race conditions in nearly a decade, the Jones Motorsports crew put two trophy trucks into action in the Arizona desert along the shores of the Colorado River.
The Parker, Arizona desert has been starved of precipitation for over 180 days pre-empting difficult race day conditions. Jesse Jones, the reigning BITD Trick Truck Champion, started in third position after qualifying on Thursday afternoon.
The 2005 SCORE Baja 1000 Champions (Motorcycle) Hondas Steve Hengeveld and Mike Childress had the opportunity to get into the Jones Motorsports #76 Trick Truck for this race and qualified in 25th position out of the nearly 80 race teams that ran in the optional BITD time trials.
Nearly 200 race teams officially entered the race including a large field of over 20 Trick Truck teams and 30 plus Class 1500, cars pushing the field of unlimited 4...
Toyo tires > Jones Motorsports Rallies For 3rd Place Finish at BITD Parker 425